Managing Expectations

Managing expectations of your students is a necessity. The other day I heard a student ask another instructor if Spinning® would help her drop 40 pounds by her wedding. I listened while I set up my bike and then she dropped the bomb. Her wedding was in six weeks. The instructor told her that she may be setting herself up for failure. Bravo!!! Nice answer. I can say that he handled this question perfectly.
Often we have students that come into our class with a goal and hope that Spinning® is the answer. Maybe they saw it on some reality weight-loss show where contestants drop double-digit pounds each week. Usually, most students expect a quick-fix to restore their fitness or even their waist line to what it was back in high school.
As an instructor, you may have to manage unrealistic expectations. But we need to do it tactfully so the student feels good about the experience. Sometimes reality is a tough pill to swallow, but if we want our students to be healthy and feel good about their fitness successes, we need to get them to realize that some fitness gains take time.
Most likely, people have gained weight or fell out of condition over the course of several years. We need to tell our students that it may take months and even years for them to realize their ideal weight or fitness level. You can?t get fit in one day.
blog by Ralph Mlady for community.spinning.com